TY - JOUR

T1 - Compassion matters in elite sports environments

T2 - Insights from high-performance coaches

AU - Backman, Emilia

AU - Hejl, Charlotte

AU - Henriksen, Kristoffer

AU - Zettler, Ingo

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Authors

PY - 2024/11

Y1 - 2024/11

N2 - It is an open question to which degree compassion—noticing, engaging with, and acting to alleviate suffering in self and others—is (considered) advantageous in elite sports. Addressing this question, we herein provide insights into high-performance coaches’ perceptions on the role of compassion in elite sports environments. Specifically, 12 coaches working at the highest level of their respective sport (in Denmark) partook in semi-structured interviews focusing on the utilization, implications, as well as barriers for implementing compassion in elite sports environments. Following a thematic analysis, three themes comprising various subthemes were identified and discussed. The first theme – Benefits of compassion – focuses on coaches’ perception of the use and implications of compassion and comprises four subthemes: Compassion is important when times are tough; Compassion stimulates human connection; Compassion fosters unity in competitive environments; and Compassion promotes performance. The second theme – Increasing compassionate competence – focuses on how a compassionate approach can flourish and comprises three subthemes: Reflection; Awareness and knowledge; and Keeping up with the times. The third theme – Barriers to compassion – focuses on barriers to implementing and enhancing compassion in elite sports environments and comprises four subthemes: Compassion is soft; Power dynamics can stand in the way; Requires prioritization; and Performance outcome orientation. We conclude that while compassion (beyond self-compassion) can be beneficial in elite sports, coaches still perceive barriers for successful implementation, and that research should further investigate the outcomes and consequences of compassion in the elite sport context.

AB - It is an open question to which degree compassion—noticing, engaging with, and acting to alleviate suffering in self and others—is (considered) advantageous in elite sports. Addressing this question, we herein provide insights into high-performance coaches’ perceptions on the role of compassion in elite sports environments. Specifically, 12 coaches working at the highest level of their respective sport (in Denmark) partook in semi-structured interviews focusing on the utilization, implications, as well as barriers for implementing compassion in elite sports environments. Following a thematic analysis, three themes comprising various subthemes were identified and discussed. The first theme – Benefits of compassion – focuses on coaches’ perception of the use and implications of compassion and comprises four subthemes: Compassion is important when times are tough; Compassion stimulates human connection; Compassion fosters unity in competitive environments; and Compassion promotes performance. The second theme – Increasing compassionate competence – focuses on how a compassionate approach can flourish and comprises three subthemes: Reflection; Awareness and knowledge; and Keeping up with the times. The third theme – Barriers to compassion – focuses on barriers to implementing and enhancing compassion in elite sports environments and comprises four subthemes: Compassion is soft; Power dynamics can stand in the way; Requires prioritization; and Performance outcome orientation. We conclude that while compassion (beyond self-compassion) can be beneficial in elite sports, coaches still perceive barriers for successful implementation, and that research should further investigate the outcomes and consequences of compassion in the elite sport context.

KW - Athletes

KW - Coach-athlete relationship

KW - Coaching

KW - Compassion

KW - High-performance

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85201211618&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.psychsport.2024.102718

DO - 10.1016/j.psychsport.2024.102718

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 39147298

AN - SCOPUS:85201211618

VL - 75

JO - Psychology of Sport and Exercise

JF - Psychology of Sport and Exercise

SN - 1469-0292

M1 - 102718

ER -